Government Regulations

Greater transparency about higher education is needed for America’s families, as they make decisions about where students will go to college.

President Barack Obama's comments on higher education in his State of the Union address on Feb. 12 included holding colleges accountable for cost, value and quality

At Tuesday’s State of the Union (SOTU) address, President Barack Obama discussed the importance of education at all levels and after putting emphasis on early education and job training for high schoolers, he asked colleges and universities to work to make higher education more affordable for students.

The steps that President Obama promised in his State of the Union address to control college costs and give consumers more information on the prices and values of individual colleges drew tepid responses on Wednesday from educational groups, who said the measures seemed generally positive but had many blanks to be filled in.

The White House is releasing a website designed to help college-bound students have a better sense of how much their education will cost and how much they can expect to pay in student loans.

“Our goal should be that students do not have to go into debt in order to obtain a degree,” Scott said.

Three U.S. Senators unveiled legislation Wednesday to reverse a 2005 change in bankruptcy laws that makes it nearly impossible to have private student loan debt discharged.

Responding to more than two years of lobbying

Many families are approaching these new tools with caution, however, finding that they vary widely in thoroughness and clarity.